Badminton Report 15.04.08
Flintshire League Senior Tournament
There was good support from Flint, Deeside and Connahs Quay clubs but the lower division players were missing.
In the Mens doubles quarter-finals Christian Pistor and Andy Oxborough (Deeside, -10) beat David Williams and Andrew Jones (CQ, scratch) 15-9; Mike Cain and Dave Markey (CQ, -2) had to struggle hard to beat juniors Tom Peace and Jordan Ellis (Mold, +6) 15-12; backmarkers Danny Hughes and Paul McCracken (Flint, -10, one hand) narrowly beat veterans Peter Stephenson and Steve Temple (Flint, -4) 15-13; Paul Roberts and Gareth Oates (CQ) had to play very steadily off -8,one hand to beat clubmates Lee Ellison and Steven Mitchell (+4) winning 15-11.
The semis were more one-sided. Pistor and Oxborough beat Cain and Markey 15-4 and Roberta and Oates beat Hughes and McCracken 15-7.
The final was a very close and nerve-tingling contest. Both pairs had good chances to win but their defences were so effective that the rallies were long and exhausting and points were hard to get. In the end Pistor and Oxborough just beat Roberts and Oates 15-14, 15-14.
The Ladies doubles also produced some fine matches. In the semis Hannah Stephenson and Carla White (Flint, -10, one hand) were too strong for Tara Moorcroft and Nicola Gilbert (Flint, scratch) winning 15-1; Catriona Mackinlay and Jill Povey (Deeside, -8) were ruthless in beating Jane and Lorna Roberts (CQ, scratch) 15-1. In the final Stephenson and White played with too much power, speed and accuracy to beat Mackinlay and Povey 15-8, 15-2.
There was a great entry of 15 pairs in the Mixed doubles. In the quarters McCracken and Stephenson (-10, one hand) beat Ellison and Melody Wareing (CQ, scratch) 15-7; Oxborough and Belinda Jones (Deeside, scratch, one hand) beat Tom and Jane Peace (Mold, +6) 15-7; Oates and Povey (scratch, one hand) beat Dave and Jessica Markey (CQ, -2) 15-9; Pistor and Mackinlay (-8) won 15-5 against Gareth Burroughs and Natalie Beard (Deeside, -8).
In the semis McCracken and Stephenson beat Oxborough and Jones 15-7 and Oates and Povey won 15-0 against Pistor and Mackinlay.
The final was exciting but the handicap difference was just too difficult to overcome for McCracken and Stephenson and Oates and Povey were worthy champions winning 15-11.
Mold Juniors dominant in Junior Badminton
Nineteen teams from seven junior clubs contested the Annual Gareth Coppack Tournament at Flint Pavilion. The tournament is handicapped and led to some exciting and close games especially in the early rounds.
l-r: Liam Moses, Chris Owen, Jono Reid, Deiniol Hughes, Marjorie Savory, Mike Coppack, Sophie Ellis (flowers presenter), Irene Coppack, Simon Jones, Ben Hughes, Jack Ellis, Alun Wilson.
In the quarters Mold A (-8) beat Buckley 3-0; Flint A (-3) beat Deeside B (+5) 2-1; CQuay A (-2) beat Mold C (-3) 3-0; Mold B (-6) beat Deeside A (+1) 3-0. In the semis Mold A beat Flint A 2-1 and Mold B beat CQuay A 3-0.
Mold A were too strong for their second string winning 3-0. Chris Owen beat Simon Jones 15-4, 15-6; Liam Moses beat Alun Wilson 15-9, 15-4; Deiniol Hughes and Jono Reid were taken to three games by Ben Hughes and Jack Ellis but managed to win 13-15, 15-10, 15-7.
This result crowned a great season for Mold; these teams were also league champions and runners-up.
The tournament referees were David Hewitt and Derek Harvey. Flowers were presented to Mrs Irene Coppack (tournament sponsor with Mr Mike Coppack) and Mrs Marjorie Savory who is retiring from organising the Junior League after many years service.